Report: New gay D.C. Comics superhero is…

posted at 9:21 pm on May 24, 2012 by Allahpundit

No no no, it’s not Batman. C’mon. It doesn’t mean a man is gay just because he feels alienated from society and spends lots of time with a male companion and, er, dresses flamboyantly in a way that shows off his buff physique. Wait — are we sure it’s not Batman?

Created by Martin Nodell, and first written with Bill Finger in 1940, Green Lantern was originally a mysticaly-based superhero, whose powers were derived from the flame of a magic lamp and he became an original member of the Justice Society Of America.

Eventually, Green Lantern would be rebooted in the sixties by DC as a science fiction superhero, Hal Jordan recruited by an alien police force to monitor the galaxy, the character that recently inspired a Hollywood movie. But in the comics, the original Green Lantern would also repeatedly reappear, often as an older man.

In the DC New 52 books, Alan Scott was reintroduced this month in Earth Two #1, as a young man, and head of GBC Productions.

Does the Green Lantern really qualify as one of “the major iconic D.C. characters”? I have only a passing knowledge of comics but my impression is that he’s the second-lamest “major” superhero there is, aside of course from you-know-who. Granted, he finally got his own movie, but that was after Hollywood completely exhausted Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man. (Well, not completely.) Even the Fantastic Four got their own movie before he did. I’m not even sure what his superpowers are. His main power now, I guess, is drumming up cheap publicity for D.C. Comics by magically transforming into a minor footnote in the culture war over gay rights.

Ah well. If nothing else, the next Green Lantern movie promises to be a little different from the usual cookie-cutter superhero flick. Expect them to get around to it sometime after the next 20 Superman/Batman/Spider-Man reboots. Exit question: Should D.C. have moved faster on this? If they had rolled out the new gay GL even a month sooner, he might have landed a cameo in this self-congratulatory new ad from a guy who spent the past decade relentlessly lying about his position on gay marriage to protect his own political viability.

Update: Ace, who does know something about comics, calls this a cop out.

Does the Green Lantern really qualify as one of “the major iconic D.C. characters”? I have only a passing knowledge of comics but my impression is that he’s the second-lamest “major” superhero there is, aside of course from you-know-who.

Yeah Green Lantern is definitely one of the major characters. Not a Batman, Wonder Woman or Superman, but right there on the next tier.

IF there was a thimble full of talent at DC comics these days they could have CREATED a NEW superhero and given him/her any characteristics that they chose. However, given that DC apparently is suffering from the same dearth of talent that has afflicted Hollywood, they were left with a REMAKE of their own… singling out a classic character and rewriting that character to suit their ‘evolving’ ideology.

Hmmm…well the so-called new Green Lantern aka Hal Jordan did hang around with Green Arrow alot. Now Green Arrow, yeah he was definitely Gay. Personally though I think it should have been Robin. Made more sense after he lived in Batman’s shadow for all those years and his costume was sort of elvish multi-colored already.

I’m going to put on my comic nerd hat and say that yes, Green Lantern is a major superhero in the DC Comic universe. Geoff Johns’ run on “Blackest Night” was one of the best series of comics ever produced.

That said, the Alan Scott version of Green Lantern? Lamer than Aquaman.

Does the Green Lantern really qualify as one of “the major iconic D.C. characters”? I have only a passing knowledge of comics but my impression is that he’s the second-lamest “major” superhero there is, aside of course from you-know-who.

Trust me, AP. We can tell.

Green Lantern is a big name. Granted, Hal’s a much bigger name than Alan, but it’s not like they made Matter Eater Lad come out, or someone of that caliber.

Does the Green Lantern really qualify as one of “the major iconic D.C. characters”? I have only a passing knowledge of comics but my impression is that he’s the second-lamest “major” superhero there is, aside of course from you-know-who.

And Alan Scott wasn’t even Green Lantern enough to be in that movie.

Guess that means the two children he had in the old continuity-Jade and Obsidian- now either don’t exist or will have to have even more convoluted origins.

No no no, it’s not Batman. C’mon. It doesn’t mean a man is gay just because he feels alienated from society and spends lots of time with a male companion and, er, dresses flamboyantly in a way that shows off his buff physique. Wait — are we sure it’s not Batman?

There, I said it. DC has TWO superheroes that people are passionate about, but even those are flailing and failing, and their “relaunch” of their universe has been an abysmal failure.

When Marvel can take some of their lesser known characters and turn them into the biggest film of the year and one of the top 4 grossing films of all time (and it will beat out “The Dark Knight” by the end of the weekend), there’s a reason.

DC has fully embraced the nihilistic and dystopian view of Batman and put it in its whole universe. It is a universe devoid of heroes because it is a universe devoid of hope. Without hope, there is never a reason for anything.

DC is failing (and Marvel is winning–at least at the box office) because hope is still a virtue that every person on the earth wants. (Will the last Batman film be a huge hit? I’m certain of it. But it won’t beat out “The Avengers” because it will be a celebration of a hero who can’t even be called a hero finally becoming even more like the very villains he tries to defeat. Hope is a tough commodity to beat–something Obama used to his advantage in 2008.)

Making a “hero” gay will not change their fortunes, anymore than Obama’s “evolution” will change people’s votes, unless this was DC’s “Bizarro” world, where everything was opposite.

I love you guys…….except when you talk comics or movies!
Green Lantern is DC’s 2nd most popular character, next to Batman of course. More importantly, Alan Scott is not the Green Lantern from the current comics nor the movie. That honor lies with Hal Jordan.
Anyway, love you guys despite your constant poo-poohing of my favorite things.

Green Lantern is DC’s 2nd most popular character, next to Batman of course. More importantly, Alan Scott is not the Green Lantern from the current comics nor the movie. That honor lies with Hal Jordan.
Anyway, love you guys despite your constant poo-poohing of my favorite things.

Jason Alexander on May 24, 2012 at 9:39 PM

Uh, Superman? Unless you mean by pure comic sales, in which case Supes has been in the dumpster since ‘The Death and Return.’

Superman and Batman are in their own popularity tier, but Green Lantern is comfortably ranked with Wonder Woman, Flash and a few others. He’s one of DC’s heavy hitters, for sure, but Alan’s like…the third most popular GL?

I love you guys…….except when you talk comics or movies!
Green Lantern is DC’s 2nd most popular character, next to Batman of course. More importantly, Alan Scott is not the Green Lantern from the current comics nor the movie. That honor lies with Hal Jordan.
Anyway, love you guys despite your constant poo-poohing of my favorite things.

Jason Alexander on May 24, 2012 at 9:39 PM

The problem is for us folks who don’t really follow the comics much and instead base the popularity of these superheroes on the success of their feature films(assuming they even warrant one in the first place). And Green Lantern was a box office bomb.

If WB wants to build up to a Justice League movie(ala Marvel and The Avengers), the failure of that flick is gonna be a major hurdle to overcome. Do they attempt a sequel or do they reboot it just a few short years after the first one?

DC is failing (and Marvel is winning–at least at the box office) because hope is still a virtue that every person on the earth wants. (Will the last Batman film be a huge hit? I’m certain of it. But it won’t beat out “The Avengers” because it will be a celebration of a hero who can’t even be called a hero finally becoming even more like the very villains he tries to defeat. Hope is a tough commodity to beat–something Obama used to his advantage in 2008.)

duanesm on May 24, 2012 at 9:38 PM

The problem DC has is its superheroes lack humor . Batman has become a depressing stoic. Superman is too super-powered. Only Green Lantern had the sort of personality that people think, “Hey I’d like to be friends with that guy.” Heck, who’d want to be friends with Batman/Bruce Wayne, he’s tedious. And forget Superman, what would you joke around about? Marvel took their characters and gave them a sense of humor and friendliness, even The Hulk comes off as wanting to have a friend. When The Avengers get together it seems like a group of friends while the Justice League is …well just a group.

If WB wants to build up to a Justice League movie(ala Marvel and The Avengers), the failure of that flick is gonna be a major hurdle to overcome. Do they attempt a sequel or do they reboot it just a few short years after the first one?
Doughboy on May 24, 2012 at 9:54 PM

Call it the “Social justice League” and have some new, fresh characters modeled on Eric Holder and Debbie Wasserman Shultz and it’s gold.

Oddly, there’s a gay club in Washington, D.C. called “The Green Latern”. (I would post a link, but some of the pictures are a bit racy, but you can easily search for it online if you want). I wonder if zer0bama has ever been there. It was just kind of average and boring when I was there.

It’s somewhat difficult for them since the vast majority of heroes have had very longterm relationships as well. Batman having been married (to Catwoman) and had a kid (The Huntress), Superman and Lois, Aquaman and Mira, Greenlantern and Carol Ferris, Green Arrow and Black Canary, Wonderwoman and Steve Trevor, Flash and Iris West. Even Allan Scott – the original Green Lantern from the 40s and 50s – had a wife and I believe kids. Whatever they do, they’re retconning huge amounts of stories and going to upset SOMEONE.

I think the word “Iconic” in relation to Allan Scott is actually pretty fair considering he was decades before the younger Hal Jordan-Green Lantern. But it’s also a bit of a copout.

Whatever the case, my apathy on the matter is passionate and I shrug loudly.

Not the Green Lantern. A Green Lantern, and as Ace points out, one no one remembers. The Green Lantern is a second teir superhero in the DCverse, but this is pathetic. I’m kinda glad, but it’s silly. At this point, why even do it?!

I was never a DC comics guy. I was always reading Marvel and indies. DC Comics is the Pepsi of the comics book world.

And, considering how volatile the comics book industry is – much by their own doing (mid-90’s, death of Superman comes to mind), they do anything they can to sell books. Comic books are soap operas with the same schtick time and again. It’s why I went mostly for indie comics and primarily stuck with one or two titles from Marvel. Indie comics are willing to break from the mold that DC and Marvel have set for themselves. Problem is, if DC or Marvel tries too hard to go the full indie route, they might pop their little bubbles with the diehard nerds.

Y’all joke on Aquaman, but Marvel had/has one worse… Prince Namor – Marvel’s answer to Aquaman, or vice versa. He looks elfin with a speedo… of course, I used to like reading comic books about elves… Anyhow, Aquaman is cooler.

Does the Green Lantern really qualify as one of “the major iconic D.C. characters”? I have only a passing knowledge of comics but my impression is that he’s the second-lamest “major” superhero there is, aside of course from you-know-who.

Ah well. If nothing else, the next Green Lantern movie promises to be a little different from the usual cookie-cutter superhero flick. Expect them to get around to it sometime after the next 20 Superman/Batman/Spider-Man reboots.

when will a conservative blogger come out of the closet? But the Green Lantern is a major character and if this is true it’s a terrible thing..I won’t be buying any Green Lantern Comics in the future or seeing anymore of his movies..heck, i should boycott DC period..that would be tough giving up watching The Dark Knight Rises though…It’s a terrible decision to change a character so dramatically instead of just making a gay hero from the beginning..nothing is sacred anymore, everything is GAY GAY GAY

Glad its not going to be Batman. From what I was reading on the internet, there was going to be a MAJOR backlash if it was Batman coming out of the closet.

Not that boycotts would have made a dent in the Dark Knight Rises’ box office. The thought of LGBT activists spinning the movie’s box office success as proof of support has Batman been made gay makes me want to barf.

The problem is for us folks who don’t really follow the comics much and instead base the popularity of these superheroes on the success of their feature films(assuming they even warrant one in the first place). And Green Lantern was a box office bomb.

If WB wants to build up to a Justice League movie(ala Marvel and The Avengers), the failure of that flick is gonna be a major hurdle to overcome. Do they attempt a sequel or do they reboot it just a few short years after the first one?

Doughboy on May 24, 2012 at 9:54 PM

Neither Hulk film were Smashes (sorry) and Avengers had no problem despite that (or the rather mediocre story that was Iron Man 2). The idea Marvel had was to build up the characters so they had some presence in the film goers eye even if some of the component films (Hulk) weren’t that big on their own. So a Justice League picture wouldn’t be set back that much by a poor showing of GL- though poor showing of Man of Steel would be a bigger issue.

Also the fact that Nolan’s Batman doesn’t fit well in a superhero universe plus Bale being done with the role is far bigger a concern than the returns from GL as that character will need a new intro before dropping him in a team flick to prevent people from turning n the interpretation.

Well, this is no different than the Harry Potter author claiming that Dumbledorf (or how ever you spell his name) was actually a homosexual. Why do it?

To gain fame in this world, to sell your soul for money and acceptance from those who control the media, to have a candle turned on to you at the alter of hollywood, Liberal elites and the militant homosexual community. Selling your soul to feel good, for a second or two.

I can buy Alan Scott coming out of the green closet. He does rank as one of their older iconic heroes and who wouldn’t want a magic ring to make all your dreams come true. The cape design alone gives it away.

It is someone ironic that his ring’s single weakness is…wood. That’s gonna be inconvenient in mid battle with some sweaty rogue (oh wait, that’s the Flash’s gallery). And to work the ring requires will power and focus. Guess you don’t want to get distracted too easily.

Not that boycotts would have made a dent in the Dark Knight Rises’ box office.

Jurisprudence on May 24, 2012 at 10:11 PM

While there are many movies based on comic books and comic book characters, the two world don’t necessarily intersect or affect each other at the cash register.

Most people who see the movies no little to nothing about the comic books. More people see the movies than they buy the comic books.

For a guy like me looking to sell my old Thor comics, it means that the movies have increased their value, but not necessarily interest. So they sit until someone’s willing to pay me something close to what they’re worth cuz I’m not giving them away for some dealer to turn around and sell them for book value. Comic books as investments are in the favor of major collectors, auction houses and some dealers, not the average fan who’s spent way too much money building a collection. But I digress.

Anyhow, while there might be a backlash among comic book nerds, those same nerds would probably still watch the movies and again, most movie watchers would probably not boycott the movies. Unless they thoroughly screwed with the comic books and then changed a major movie with a new reboot or some such.

There’s probably a number of characters Marvel could dig up and make gay if they wanted to do so. Marvel had/has a trove of wacky characters that were throw-aways, filler. They’d attack or help a primary hero for one or a couple issues and then fade out and their costume, name and powers were usually zany. Oh those 70’s and early 80’s comic books…

There is NO way Marvel is Coke. Sorry, but DC is the original, marvel is the wanna-be. And the indies are more like local rootbeers and sasparilla than Dr. Pepper. Don’t get me wrong, I love all comics, but DC was way ahead of Marvel. In fact, a lot of the slam-back against the ‘hokiness’ of DC and then the worse slams when they try to update is reminiscent of the problems coke had with new coke.

As great as Marvel is, Superman, Batman, Wonderwoman ARE the icons of Superherodom.

The Generalissimo posits that the mystery “queer” is Aquaman. Could be. But isn’t this all like uber-liberal J.K. Rowling telling us, after the Harry Potter series had already been written, that Dumbledore was a homosexual? Not that there’s anything wrong with that, and may he rest in peace, but honestly, WTF cares?

Uh, Superman? Unless you mean by pure comic sales, in which case Supes has been in the dumpster since ‘The Death and Return.’

Superman and Batman are in their own popularity tier, but Green Lantern is comfortably ranked with Wonder Woman, Flash and a few others. He’s one of DC’s heavy hitters, for sure, but Alan’s like…the third most popular GL?

Good Solid B-Plus on May 24, 2012 at 9:42 PM

I’m not a comic book guy, but wouldn’t Wonder Woman be ranked pretty highly? Certainly not on the level of Superman or Batman, but I’d think she’d be above Green Lantern or Flash. I know nothing of comic book sales, but just due to the Lynda Carter TV show I’d think she’d be better known to the general public.

The Green Lantern they are talking about possibly making gay is on an “alternate reality” earth called “Earth 2” (I know :p). This Green Lantern has almost nothing to do with the one most of us are familiar with with the ring and constructs. This Green Lantern’s weakness…wood.